At some point, former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is expected to return to the octagon. Lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes that he’ll be standing across the cage from “Notorious” when the Irishman returns.
After all, the fight promotion built a match between the two when they were pitted as opposite coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31 last year. If and when the two finally fight, former two-division champion Henry Cejudo thinks he knows who’ll win.
“Tactically. Stylistically. If Michael Chandler can bring in the wrestling, if Michael Chandler can tactically slow this guy down, or if we get Michael Chandler, the guy who likes to crowd please then I’m going to have to give it to Conor McGregor,” said Cejudo on his YouTube channel.
Cejudo ultimately picked Chandler to defeat McGregor, but only if Chandler can stick to a game plan of mixing in his wrestling.
“If I had to choose somebody that will more than likely win this fight, like I said, if he (Chandler) sticks to the game plan he wins. But if he doesn’t stick to that game plan then Conor McGregor is more than likely is going to win,” Cejudo said.
“I think Michael Chandler is smarter than that. I think this is a time where Michael Chandler just wants the W and he’s probably going to go in and use his wrestling. For that reason, as much as Conor McGregor, everybody would like to see him win, I just can’t.”
McGregor last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264, losing to Dustin Poirier after suffering a broken leg. While McGregor has been on the mend and on the sidelines Chandler fought three times, losing to Poirier and Justin Gaethje and defeating Tony Ferguson.
Renato Moicano knows his fight with Drew Dober at UFC Vegas 85 is must-see TV – even if they’re not the main event.
That honor falls to middleweights Roman Dolidze and Nassourdine Imavov, who compete in a five-round fight to cap off the latest card at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Truth be told, Moicano doesn’t really even know much about the fighters in the top slot ahead of his co-main event matchup, so it’s hard for him to justify that as a quality headliner.
Then again, with almost no fans in attendance in a largely quiet arena like the APEX, Moicano feels like the main event probably doesn’t even matter.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have nothing against these guys, but I don’t even know their names.” Moicano told MMA Fighting. “I’m not saying I should be the main event, but that should not be the main event for sure. Whatever. It’s a Fight Night, nobody cares. Main event, co-main event, nobody cares.”
Ideally, Moicano prefers a setting like his previous outing, where he put on a show for more than 20,000 fans in Madison Square Garden at UFC 281.
Moicano hoped he would get a slot at the upcoming UFC 299 card in Miami, which takes place close to where he trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla. Instead, he got the co-main event spot at UFC Vegas 85 just below Dolize vs. Imavov.
“It’s good to be in the co-main event in a Fight Night, but I’d rather be the first fight of UFC 299,” Moicano said. “UFC 299 is awesome. It is what it is. Some fighters the UFC just put to have somebody fighting, to have on ESPN, so they have to keep the thing going.
“But if you’re asking me if Dolidze – and I don’t even know his name – if they are main event worthy, I would say not. Maybe they are good fighters, I don’t know. But it’s a Fight Night, nobody cares.”
After adopting a new nickname as ‘Money Moicano’ with a viral post-fight interview at UFC 281, the 34-year-old Brazilian wants to build on that moniker with his upcoming performance. Facing somebody like Dober will definitely give him that chance, because he expects an explosive, nonstop action fight, no matter how long it lasts.
That’s just another reason why Moicano feels his was a fight worthy of a spot on a major card, but the UFC had different plans.
“That’s a pay-per-view [fight],” he said. “It does not get better than this. Me and Drew Dober, we are guys that the mainstream public knows. If you talk to the regular fan, Conor McGregor all of these names, Renato Moicano and Drew Dober, we are not on the same level. But at the same time, if you ask a really hardcore fan, they’re going to know our careers. They’re going to know who we fought. They’re going to know that’s going to be a great fight.
“That’s why I think they put it as co-main event on [a UFC Fight Night] like that but again, nobody cares. I would rather fight on the pay-per-view like Miami. At the same time, it’s OK, I want to go watch the fights in Miami.”
Whether it’s a pay-per-view main card, or a co-main event spot on UFC Vegas 85, Moicano is coming to fight and earn a paycheck. Ultimately, he’s not too concerned about the rankings, his placement on the card, or sending an emphatic reminder that he’s still a threat to anyone in the lightweight division following an unexpected 15-month layoff.
No, Moicano’s only concern is adding zeroes to his bank account – and Dober gives him a great opportunity to do that.
“That’s a chance to make money,” he said. “Because ‘Money’ Moicano doesn’t give a s*** about people. I don’t. If you are my fan, if you support, if you buy my stuff like a lot of people buy my stuff and I’m being grateful for that but at the end of the day, do you know what pays my bills? Going out there and beating motherf****** and finishing motherf******. That’s what pays my bills and I have to say, I make good money for that.
“So I’m just worried [about] finishing Drew Dober. That’s my only worry. I don’t care. If the fans like you, that’s OK. Of course, everybody loves to be loved but if they don’t like [me], at least I have double checks to be happy about. The only thing I am really thinking about is double checks, make some money.”
This weekend (Sat., Feb. 3, 2024), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns inside the UFC Apex (sigh) in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC Vegas 85. Alas, there are still two very uninspired Apex events prior to UFC 298. Both feature Middleweight main events that aren’t overly interesting, and the remaining cards don’t really exceed expectations. The best is to cross our fingers and hope for some cool knockouts and submissions along the way.
In the interim, let’s dig into all the main card fights leading up to the main- and co-main events:
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov
Best Win for Brown? Francisco Trinaldo For Salikhov? Francisco Trinaldo! Current Streak: Brown won his last bout, while Salikhov lost his last one X-Factor: Salikhov is 39 years old How these two match up: This is a good quality veteran match up.
Brown has been on the roster since 2016, but it’s only recently that “Rude Boy” has hit his stride. Winner of five of his last six, Brown combines a a sharp jab with a great pace and quality distance management. Salikhov, meanwhile, is “The King Of Kung Fu” for a reason. Best known for his spinning techniques, Salikhov is a slick striker with good power in his hands.
Both men like to strike from distance, and on paper, Salikhov is probably a bit sharper and more effective at their shared preferred range. That said, all of that X-Factors tend to line up in favor of Brown. He’s younger, significantly longer and tends to work at a much higher pace — that’s a lot for Salikhov to overcome.
In addition, if someone’s going to mix it up and wrestle, Brown is probably the guy. Unless Salikhov really hurts him early or gets the stoppage outright, Brown is likely to stay ahead on the scorecards for most of the 15 minutes.
Prediction: Brown via decision
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Middleweight: Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Makhmud Muradov
Best Win for Khizriev? Rousimar Palhares For Muradov? Andrew Sanchez Current Streak: Khizriev is undefeated at 14-0 (1-0 UFC), whereas Muradoz won his last bout X-Factor: It’s been almost two years since Khizriev’s last fight How these two match up: This is another good fight, a quality test of an undefeated up-and-comer.
Is Khizriev the real deal? Undefeated Dagestani talents tend to be pretty good on the whole, but it’s still pretty early to tell with “The Black Wolf.” He’s aggressive on the feet, but his kickboxing is largely a means to an end in setting up his takedowns. Once on top, he tends to be active, and he’s stopped nine opponents. Muradov is more of a striker. “The Money Team” representative can wrestle well enough, but he’s mostly a composed and powerful striker, having won 17 of his fights via knockout.
This is a classic case of a fight that comes down to takedown defense. Can Muradov stop the shot? A simple question, but not an easy one to answer.
Ultimately, it’s hard to overlook Muradov’s loss to Gerald Meerschaert. It’s not that Muradov coughed up a couple takedowns in the defeat that’s concerning, but more the fact that Meerschaert was able to bully him with pressure and eventually break him down. Against a relentless wrestler with power in his hands, that sounds like a problem.
Prediction: Khizriev via decision
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Welterweight: Gilbert Urbina vs. Charles Radtke
Best Win for Urbina? Orion Cosce For Radtke? Andrew Sanchez Current Streak: Both men won their last bout X-Factor: Both are still fairly inexperienced How these two match up: Even in 2024 — and even in the Apex — this bout belongs nowhere near a UFC main card.
That said, Urbina has some talent. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran has fought a lot of tough opposition for a man with fewer than 10 professional fights. He’s also a rather massive Welterweight — 6’3” with a 75-inch reach — who can push the pace offensively. The most memorable part of Radtke’s UFC debut were the slurs in his post-fight speech. The 33-year-old isn’t likely going to rise to be a contender anytime soon, but he’s well-rounded and tough enough to pick up some wins inside the Octagon.
This feels like a showcase match up. Urbina just picked apart and battered a similar grinder in Radtke, showing off that punishing style of long man takedown defense paired with clinch and distance offense. Most likely, Radtke ends up stranded on the feet after an early takedown or two, and he’s too hittable to survive there for long.
Urbina picks up his second UFC win.
Prediction: Urbina via knockout
Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images
Women’s Flyweight: Natalia Silva vs. Viviane Araujo
Best Win for Silva? Andrea Lee For Araujo? Jennifer Maia Current Streak: Silva has won four straight inside the Octagon, whereas Araujo won her last bout X-Factor: Both hit harder than the usual Flyweight How these two match up: Top 10 fighters collide!
Silva is one of the few bright lights at 125 pounds. Indeed, a 26-year-old finisher with well-rounded skills? It’s almost unheard of! She seems primed to a top contender — if not champion — for years to come, though there is still some roughness around the edges to be smoothed away.
Araujo is a veteran of her division and has faced off with several future or former title challengers. She’s never quite managed to achieve those heights herself, largely because the top-ranked members of her division tend to out-work her down the stretch. Still, she’s a quality athlete with dangerous kickboxing and strong takedowns.
This feels like something of a mirror match up. Both women rely heavily on their quickness and power to cover ground suddenly and land heavy shots. They’ll wrestle occasionally — admittedly, Araujo a bit more than Silva — but their overall success is based on athleticism. If that athleticism cancels out, what happens?
I think the younger woman gets it done. Silva can keep the fight standing, and she should hold up better as the fight wears on. It’ll be close, but a few big connections down the stretch sway the judges.
Prediction: Silva via decision
‘X-Factor’ Picks for 2024: 2-1
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 85 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+“Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance (also on ESPN+)at 7 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 85: “Dolidze vs. Imavov” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
He is Denmark's most successful professional wrestler and MMA fighter in the world's largest organization, UFC, but now he's calling it quits. Mark O. Madsen is ready for the next chapter.
After more than 25 years in elite sports, Mark O. Madsen is ending his athletic career.
"The time is right. I am fulfilled and look back on a career in elite sports that I am very proud of. The sport has shaped me as a person, and I am grateful for everything it has given me and my family," says Mark O. Madsen.
The athletic career is being set aside, but a new door is opening.
"I like to achieve results, and I would like to use that in other contexts. There are exciting meetings in the calendar, but now it's time for reflection," says Mark O. Madsen.
He acknowledges that it's not an easy decision to step away.
"A big part of your identity lies in the job. Especially as an elite athlete, where even the structure of everyday life is often dictated by your profession. But I am 39 years old, and there are still many things in life I want to accomplish."
"MMA is a demanding sport, and the body needs to last many more years. That has also been a factor in my decision to step away, but I am super proud and grateful for everything we have achieved."
It's not just pride in the athletic results that fills Denmark's most successful wrestler.
"I am proud that we dared to pursue our dreams. That we found the courage to do it. As a person, I need security and safety, but we did it. I am proud to show my children that the will to want and the courage to dare can bring fantastic experiences."
"A huge thank you to all the people who have supported me and my family through my athletic career in both wrestling and MMA. Your support means everything to us, and we are grateful for each and every one of you. We couldn't have done it without you."
Even though more time with the family is now a priority, the calendar isn't completely empty. Mark O. Madsen will be among the speakers when this year's entrepreneurial event, Seedster, takes place in March. Around 500 entrepreneurs gather here to get new inspiration and learn from each other.
"I'm perfectly fine with taking a suit out of the closet instead of sports gear," concludes Mark O. Madsen.
Biography
Mark O. Madsen was born on September 23, 1984, in Nykøbing Falster. He is Denmark's first professional and most successful wrestler with over 3000 matches under his belt. He has secured numerous European and World Championship medals for Denmark and is the first wrestler ever to qualify for the Olympics three times in a row. At the 2016 Olympics, he won silver. As an MMA fighter, he has won twelve fights and lost two. He is married to Maria, and they have two children together.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC 
Photo by George Tewkesbury/PA Images via Getty Images 
Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 
Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images
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